A generation ago, Smurfs were lovable little blue cartoon characters.
Today, the name applies to illegal drug suppliers.
In their effort to curb drug trafficking and the use of methamphetamine, local law enforcement officers are trying to crack down on its main ingredient, pseudoephedrine.
Iola Police Chief Jared Warner, with support of Allen County Sheriff Bryan Murphy, said he would ask city council members to propose an ordinance that requires a prescription to purchase cold and allergy medicine containing pseudoephedrine at Iola pharmacies.
Currently, a 2011 Kansas law limits monthly purchases by one individual to 9 grams.
Parsons, Chanute and Fort Scott have the prescription law, which has led to an increase in suspected purchases in Iola.
Under the Kansas law purchases are tracked and immediately entered in the National Precursor Log Exchange (NPLEx). Consequently, officers have at their fingertips who bought meds containing pseudoephedrine, and how much.
On review of NPLEx, Warner said he noticed purchases by people from Texas and several other non-adjacent states, which he attributed to workers here to construct the Enbridge Flanagan South Pipeline. What raised an eyebrow, however, were purchases from Fort Scott and Chanute residents, as well as those from western Missouri and Wichita.
“I doubt if someone from Wichita just was passing through Iola decided to stop and buy cold medicine,” Warner said.
A complication is multiple phony IDs. He allowed that pharmacy personnel have little reason to dispute a person’s ID.
Once the so-called smurfs accumulate a supply of pseudoephedrine they trade it to a distributor/manufacturer for refined methamphetamine.
Murphy said local doctors and pharmacists support the stricter law.
“The docs said it wouldn’t be a problem with patients. They could call in to request a prescription refill,” he said.
Warner plans to go to the city council on June 9.
Warner said he intended to give a presentation on the plan at this month’s See, Hear Iola on May 29, to allow for more input.
